How Do I Configure My Usenet Server Settings?

Your Usenet server settings are relatively simple to configure, but also very important. Ultimately, they determine how fast and how secure or private your connection is. For most Usenet subscribers, these two concerns cover 100% of their server concerns. So, it is worth your time to familiarize yourself with these settings.We’ll walk you through each server setting and explain what your options are and how they will impact your Usenet experience.

Newshosting Server Settings

You can set your server settings under your newsreaders preferences or settings. If you use a third party newsreader, you should be prompted to provide your server settings the first time you open the client. The easiest way to configure your settings is to use the Newshosting Usenet Browser. It’s included in your Newshosting subscription and comes equipped with all kinds of intuitive features, including automatic search and integrated search. To use the Newshosting Usenet Browser, all you have to do is login, and it will configure automatically. If you do want to customize or manually configure your settings, it’s very simple. If you choose to use a third party newsreader, you will want to make note of the different server settings available to you. All of the information you need is accessible in the Newshosting Support Center, but we will also review it here.

Newshosting News Servers and Ports

The main server address for Newshosting is news.newshosting.com. This server will autoroute your connection to the news server closest to your geographic location. There are other servers you can use. Alternate servers and ports are below:

News Server

Location

SSL Ports

Standard Ports

news-us.newshosting.com

United States

563 (default)
443

119 (default)
80

news-nl.newshosting.com

Netherlands

563 (default)
443

119 (default)
80

news-de.newshosting.com

Germany

563 (default)
443

119 (default)
80

We highly recommend using SSL ports to ensure the most secure Usenet experience possible. The default SSL port is 563, but if you choose to use standard ports, the default is 119. Occasionally, ISPs will block these ports or throttle traffic on them. For this reason, we recommend port 443 for SSL connections and port 80 for standard connections. There are additional standard ports. These include 23, 25, 3128, 7000, 8000, and 9000.

Number of Connections

The next thing to pick is the number of connections. This will determine how many simultaneous downloads you can do. It also means you don’t lose time switching between files. If you’re only using one connection, when one connection ends there will be a brief pause before your can start the next download. That lost time adds up quickly.

The Newshosting Limited and Unlimited plans come with 30 connections; the Newshosting XL Powerpack includes 60 connections. Make sure you do not exceed the connections included in your plan. If you encounter speed problems, checking the number of connections is always a good place to start.

Newshosting also offers the option to limit your download speeds. If you want to use the internet while you download, you may need to use this feature. Otherwise, it will slow down your downloads. Some newsreaders will allow you to specify your connection type. The Newshosting Usenet Browser is one of them. If you know how the connection speed you’re getting from your ISP, it is helpful to enter it here. You can opt to leave it blank, but specifying a connection type will aide in maximizing speeds.

All in all, Usenet server preferences are very easy to set with Newshosting, especially when you use the Newshosting Usenet Browser. The key things to remember are your login information, port numbers, and whether or not you want to use a SSL connection. If you encounter speed problems, check the number of connections you are using and if you have any speed limits. In each case, you will need to play around with your settings. If your downloads seem slow, check if you have a maximum download speed specified in your server settings. For your number of connections, start with one connection and increase them until you reach your maximum speed.